Josipovic said this was a sign of optimism for Split and Croatia because it happened "when we don't have many positive events, when we are investing a lot of effort to show how we can come out of the crisis," underling the importance of "work, optimism, perseverance and accepting high ethical and moral standards."
Science and Education Minister Zeljko Jovanovic said today's opening was an important step forward in the realisation of the government's three strategic goals - a Croatia of free unafraid people, a knowledge-based economy, and a society of equal opportunities.
The head of the European Union Delegation to Croatia, Paul Vandoren, said health was an important resource for the development of every society and objected to reducing health care. He said the European Commission was increasing funds for health care programmes and that EUR 23 million was intended for Croatia in the 2008-12 period.
Europe needs better and more care within sustainable health care budgets, he said, adding that Croatia had joined those EU efforts by adopting a national health care development strategy for the 2012-20 period that was going in the right direction.
(EUR 1 = HRK 7.4)